This application is a Continuation Application of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/753,326, entitled LOW-POWER SUBSYSTEM FOR PORTABLE COMPUTERS, filed on Dec. 29, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,725,748, and priority is claimed thereof.
The modern trend in electrical appliances is mobility. People want to be able to use an electrical device from where they are at that instant. They want to be able to call people from anyplace they happen to be, hence the cell phone. They want to be able to listen to their own music no matter where they are, hence the portable compact disc player. They also want to be able to use their computer from almost anywhere, hence the notebook computer. The current design of the notebook computer has made this difficult. Specifically, using a computer while the subject is moving is currently exceedingly awkward.
The difficulty is related to the current design of notebook computers. The limited life of notebook computer batteries only allows for the computer to be on for a limited time. Battery conservation techniques include running the notebook in a state in which the central processing unit (CPU) is not active to conserve energy. Full access and control of a notebook's functionality often requires it to be in the open position, where the display screen and keyboard are at a right angle from each other. This L-shaped position is more difficult to carry around than the closed position. These difficulties become even more apparent in efforts to use notebooks as a method to electronically purchase items in a store. A further difficulty is created when attempting to either listen to or view multimedia entertainment data while either moving about or in a confined area, such as an airplane.